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Differential effect of ultraviolet exposure (UVR) in the stress response of the Dinophycea Gymnodinium sp. and the Chlorophyta Dunaliella tertiolecta: mortality versus survival

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Abstract

Dunaliella tertiolecta (Chlorophyta) and Gymnodinium sp. (Dinophyceae) cells were exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) (PAR, UVA and UVB: PAB) for 6 days either continuously or during a photoperiod. Both UVR treatments were harmful to Gymnodinium but exposure to continuous PAB had the most dramatic effects. Although a number of lesions/damage could have happened during the first few hours of exposure to UVR, in less than 24 h, Gymnodinium lost its ability to detoxify ROS efficiently, photoinhibition occurred, thymine dimers formed in the DNA, caspase-like enzymatic activities DEVDase sharply increased and cells died as determined by SYTOX-green staining. Superoxide dismutase activity did not significantly change with time, and although the catalase activity augmented in both treatments, cells still suffered from the UVR stress. Clearly, UVR was fatal to the dinoflagellate. For the chlorophyte, however, cell numbers increased regardless of the UVR treatment and mortality remained low (<20 %). F v/F m showed an initial decrease but then remained constant for both light treatments. After 6 days of continuous PAB exposure, however, signs of stress (thymine dimers, oxidative stress) paralleled a drop in catalase activity. Results obtained here demonstrate that the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium was much more sensitive and was harmed more rapidly by UVR exposure than the chlorophyte D. tertiolecta. The increased tolerance to UVR exposure of the chlorophyte may provide advantages over other more sensitive phytoplankton species within the photic zone. We provide strong support in the present study for repair being an important component of UV resistance in this species.

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Acknowledgments

The present work was supported by Research Grants CTM/MAR10-17216 from the Ministry for Science and Innovation (MICCIN) and P08-03800 from the Regional Science Research Programme (Junta de Andalucía) Spain to MS. JNB was funded to carry out a short-stay postdoctoral-grant at MS Laboratory by the Regional Science Research Programme (Junta de Andalucía, Spain). CG and MRL were funded by PhD grants associated to the Research Grants mentioned above. We are grateful to Patrick Neale for thorough discussions and suggestions.

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  1. Josée Nina Bouchard

    Present address: Algenol Biofuels, 16121 Lee Rd, Fort Myers, FL, 33912, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK

    Josée Nina Bouchard

  2. Department of Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Málaga, Bulevar Louis Pasteur s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain

    Candela García-Gómez, M. Rosario Lorenzo & María Segovia

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  1. Josée Nina Bouchard
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  2. Candela García-Gómez
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Correspondence to Josée Nina Bouchard or María Segovia.

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Communicated by K. Bischof.

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Bouchard, J.N., García-Gómez, C., Rosario Lorenzo, M. et al. Differential effect of ultraviolet exposure (UVR) in the stress response of the Dinophycea Gymnodinium sp. and the Chlorophyta Dunaliella tertiolecta: mortality versus survival. Mar Biol 160, 2547–2560 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-013-2247-z

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